Sleep Stories and Myths

Edgar Allen Poe called sleep “Those little slices of death”… but our sleeps are really essential slices of life, needed to keep us healthy, both mentally and physically.

There are lots of myths that surround sleep and how to get a good night’s worth… Here are a few of them that have been shown not to be true:

1. “Your brain shuts down during sleep”—No, there is a lot going on in your brain while you’re sleeping. Of course, your brain has to continue your breathing and other essential functions. But there’s much more than that happening while you sleep, and this brain activity occurs in 4-stage cycles, one of which includes dreaming. The dream stage of sleep is also known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep as the eyes have been observed to move quickly while a person is dreaming. The amygdala, an important center for emotions in the brain, is active during sleep, suggesting we process emotions while sleeping. The thalamus, which acts as a relay station for sights, sounds and feelings, sending them to the cerebral cortex for translation, is quiet during sleep except during the dreaming phase. This suggests it is collecting information from our dreams and passing it along for processing in the cortex.

2. “After a good sleep, you remember your dreams”—Actually, even though we usually have 5 or 6 dream sessions per night, we rarely remember any of them. There are nerve cells that are active during dreaming that produce a chemical called melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH). MCH regulates sleep but also inhibits the hippocampus, an important area of the brain for storing memories. Researchers think this chemical might be why we rarely remember our dreams. But we’re also more likely to remember dreams if we wake up during or right after them. So if you remember your dreams, this may mean you had a poor night’s sleep with frequent awakening. When you wake in the morning thinking that you dreamt a lot, this might just mean you woke during the night more often than usual. One research study backs this up: they found that people who woke more often at night tended to remember their dreams more often.

3. “You shouldn’t wake up someone who is sleepwalking”—The claim that waking a sleepwalker could cause them to have a heart attack or even die isn’t true. However, waking them could cause confusion or fear. My younger sister, that I shared a room with for several years, would sleepwalk occasionally. I learned that I could just tell her to go back to bed and she usually would! Experts suggest this is the best plan, as sleepwalking can result in injury to the person. They may also strike out in fear if you try to wake them, causing injury to you. I had some fun with my husband years ago when he was talking in his sleep. “It’s more sexy!” he said. Knowing I could likely get a conversation going, I asked “What’s more sexy?”. “To do it in the summer” was the answer. This sounded like it was going somewhere interesting… so I asked “To do what in the summer?”. I cracked up when he said “Smoke Virginia cigarettes!” His brain must have been processing an ad he’d seen…

4. “Having a few drinks before bed will guarantee a good night’s sleep.”—Nope… Although alcohol can shorten the time needed to fall asleep and can make a person harder to awaken, experts tell us it reduces the quality of sleep, leaving you feeling less rested the following day. To feel refreshed after a night’s sleep, your brain needs to pass through the 4 phases of sleep for several cycles, usually 5 or 6. Alcohol tends to disrupt these repetitions, particularly reducing the REM dreaming phase of sleep in the early cycles of the night as well as the total percentage of time spent dreaming. Heavy alcohol users also report more sleep problems and 35 to 70% are diagnosed with clinical insomnia. So alcohol does get you to sleep more quickly but the sleep will likely be less refreshing.

5. “Cheese before bed can cause nightmares”—I hadn’t heard this one before, but a heavy meal just before bed makes your digestive system active when you’re trying to sleep and might be disruptive to sleep for some. However, many cultures eat late routinely and seem to be OK with it. We were surprised that restaurants in some countries we’ve visited (France and Spain) often don’t open for supper until 6 or even 7pm! But, if you suffer from heartburn, having food in your stomach increases the chance that some could regurgitate during the night, just because there’s something there. Advice for reducing heartburn at night includes avoiding food for 2 hours before bed. As described earlier, waking more often means you will remember your dreams, some of which might be scary ones! There is a suggestion that this myth might have started from certain cultures that feature cheese boards at the end of an elaborate meal eaten late in the evening. On the other hand, a glass of warm milk is often suggested to help a person sleep. The theory is that milk contains the amino acid, tryptophan, that the body can change into serotonin and subsequently into melatonin, that plays a role in sleep. However, studies have been unable to show that there is enough tryptophan to actually increase melatonin significantly. But a warm milk ritual would be relaxing and could be a helpful part of a person’s bedtime routine and definitely a good substitute for a caffeine containing beverage that might keep you awake.

A chronic lack of sleep can increase your risk of several health conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, depression and diabetes, and being tired during the day from a lack of sleep can increase the chance of injuries from drowsy driving or not be as alert when operating dangerous equipment. So what can you do to get a better night’s sleep?

Exercise—20 to 30 minutes during the day can help you sleep better. It’s often recommended not to exercise just before bed though.

A comfortable bed—a mattress that’s old or not suited to your preference (too hard or soft) can be a cause of sleep issues. The National Sleep Foundation recommends replacing a mattress after 9 or 10 years.

Have a sleep-friendly bedroom—a cool room temperature and removing devices that make noise (like your cellphone!) or emit light helps to avoid sleep disruptions. If you wake because of overheating (cue the hot flash, ladies!) having a fan to help you quickly cool off can help you get back to sleep quickly.

Have a relaxing bedtime routine—meditation or yoga, reading a book, a bath or shower or listening to music can help you unwind before bed and fall asleep more quickly. Experts suggest avoiding devices with screens if you have sleeping problems.

Limit alcohol at night—too much alcohol can disrupt sleep by increasing snoring and sleep apnea (stopping breathing for a short time while asleep). And, as mentioned earlier, it can disrupt sleep patterns and increase night awakening.

Keep a regular bedtime—a regular bedtime and wake up time helps to establish your natural sleep-wake cycle.

Avoid large meals and excessive liquid before bedtime—This advice seems to depend on the person but having a small snack is recommended if you’re hungry. Drinking too much liquid before bed can increase the chance you’ll need to get up to pee during the night, disrupting your sleep. Caffeine beverages up to 6 hours before bedtime can disrupt sleep.

Napping?—naps during the day can recharge your energy but keep them to less than an hour. Twenty to 30 minutes may be all you need to refresh.

Avoid tossing and turning—if you have trouble falling asleep, experts recommend getting up and doing something relaxing for a while. Even a short walk around the house before returning to bed may make a difference.

Taking steps to improve your sleep is referred to as “sleep hygiene”. If you have long-standing sleep problems and have tried these suggestions, talk to your doctor about what else might help. But use sleep medications with caution—sleeping pills are a well-known cause of insomnia and most are recommended to only be used continuously for up to 7 days as you can easily become dependent on them. Unfortunately, your body also tends to adapt to sleeping medications quickly, leading to the need for an increase in dose to gain the same effect while also guaranteeing you will likely have insomnia when you decide to stop the medication. This rebound insomnia can last for days to weeks, depending on how long you have been continuously taking it.

References:

Medical myths: The mystery of sleep -- Medical News Today

Tips for sleeping better -- Medical News Today

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